Gas purge apparatus, load port apparatus, and gas purge method

Abstract

A gas purge apparatus, a load port apparatus, and a gas purge method are capable of filling a container with a cleaning gas without leaning the container to be purged. The first and second purge nozzles are configured to be escalated so that the first purge nozzle 30 - 1 contacts with the first purge port 5 - 1 whose distance to the regulating distance 90 is near before the second purge nozzle 30 - 2 contacts with the second purge port 5 - 2.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas purge apparatus for introducing a cleaning gas into a container whose bottom part includes a first purge port and a second purge port, comprising:
 a table on which the container is detachably installed; 
 a movement regulating mechanism configured to contact with the container at a predetermined regulating position and regulate a relative movement at least in an upward direction of the container to the table; 
 a first purge nozzle configured to airtightly connect to the first purge port at a first elevated position whose distance from the regulating position is a first distance; 
 a second purge nozzle configured to airtightly connect to the second purge port at a second elevated position whose distance from the regulating position is a second distance that is longer than the first distance and whose distance from the first elevated position is longer than the second distance; 
 a first nozzle driving mechanism configured to move the first purge nozzle between a first lowered position spaced from the first purge port and the first elevated position; 
 a second nozzle driving mechanism configured to move the second purge nozzle between a second lowered position spaced from the second purge port and the second elevated position; and 
 a control means configured to control the first and second nozzle driving mechanisms, 
 wherein the control means is configured to control the nozzle driving mechanisms so that the first gas purge nozzle contacts with the first purge port before the second purge nozzle contacts with the second purge port. 
 
     
     
       2. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 an outlet capable of transporting a storage object housed in the container is formed on a first side surface that is one of a plurality of side surfaces of the container and 
 a distance from the regulating position to the first side surface is shorter than a distance from the regulating position to a second side surface that is another one of a plurality of the side surfaces of the container and opposes the first side surface in a state where the movement regulating mechanism regulates a movement of the container. 
 
     
     
       3. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 the first and second elevated positions and a storage object housed in the container whose movement is regulated by the movement regulating mechanism are arranged to avoid overlapping with each other in an orthographic view from above. 
 
     
     
       4. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second purge nozzles comprises: 
 a nozzle body configured to have a cylindrical shape whose upper end has an upper opening and be hardly deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; 
 a cylindrical elastic member configured to have a base end portion fixed to the nozzle body to surround the upper opening and be elastically deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; and 
 a contact member configured to be provided at a tip of the cylindrical elastic member and contact with the first or second purge port at the first or second elevated position, and 
 wherein the contact member is harder than the cylindrical elastic member. 
 
     
     
       5. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second purge nozzles comprises: 
 a nozzle body configured to have a cylindrical shape whose upper end has an upper opening and be hardly deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; 
 a cylindrical elastic member configured to have a base end portion fixed to the nozzle body to surround the upper opening and be elastically deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; and 
 a contact member configured to be provided at a tip of the cylindrical elastic member and contact with the first or second purge port at the first or second elevated position, and 
 wherein the contact member is harder than the cylindrical elastic member. 
 
     
     
       6. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 the first and second elevated positions and a storage object housed in the container whose movement is regulated by the movement regulating mechanism are arranged to avoid overlapping with each other in an orthographic view from above. 
 
     
     
       7. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second purge nozzles comprises: 
 a nozzle body configured to have a cylindrical shape whose upper end has an upper opening and be hardly deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; 
 a cylindrical elastic member configured to have a base end portion fixed to the nozzle body to surround the upper opening and be elastically deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; and 
 a contact member configured to be provided at a tip of the cylindrical elastic member and contact with the first or second purge port at the first or second elevated position, and 
 wherein the contact member is harder than the cylindrical elastic member. 
 
     
     
       8. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the first and second purge nozzles comprises: 
 a nozzle body configured to have a cylindrical shape whose upper end has an upper opening and be hardly deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; 
 a cylindrical elastic member configured to have a base end portion fixed to the nozzle body to surround the upper opening and be elastically deformable while moving from the first or second elevated position to the first or second lowered position; and 
 a contact member configured to be provided at a tip of the cylindrical elastic member and contact with the first or second purge port at the first or second elevated position, and 
 wherein the contact member is harder than the cylindrical elastic member. 
 
     
     
       9. The gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 one of the first and second purge nozzles is for supply, and the other is for discharge. 
 
     
     
       10. A load port apparatus comprising the gas purge apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       11. A gas purge method for introducing a cleaning gas into a container whose bottom part includes a first purge port and a second purge port, comprising the steps of:
 installing the container on a table; 
 regulating a relative movement at least in an upward direction of the container to the table by a movement regulating mechanism configured to contact with the container at a predetermined regulating position; 
 escalating a first purge nozzle from a first lowered position spaced from the first purge port to a first elevated position whose distance from the regulating position is a first distance, wherein the first purge nozzle is airtightly connected to the first purge port at the first elevated position; and 
 escalating a second purge nozzle from a second lowered position spaced from the second purge port to a second elevated position whose distance from the regulating position is a second distance that is longer than the first distance and whose distance from the first elevated position is a second elevated position that is longer the second distance, wherein the second purge nozzle is airtightly connected to the second purge port at the second elevated position, 
 wherein the first and second purge nozzles are configured to be escalated so that the first purge nozzle contacts with the first purge port before the second purge nozzle contacts with the second purge port.